Republic Act 5487

The Private Security

Agency Law
Section 4. Who May Organize a Security or Watchman
Agency. That the operator or manager of said agency must
be at least 25 years of age, a college graduate and/or a
commissioned officer in the inactive service of the Armed
Forces of the Philippines; of good moral character; having no
previous record of any conviction of any crime or offense
involving moral turpitude and not suffering from any of the
following disqualifications:

(1) Having been dishonorably discharged or separated

from the Armed Forces of the Philippines;
(2) Being a mental incompetent;
(3) Being addicted to the use of narcotic drug or drugs;
and
(4) Being a habitual drunkard.
Section 5. Qualifications Required. No person
shall be employed as security guard or watchman
or private detective unless he is:

a) Filipino citizen;
b) a high school graduate;
c) physically and mentally fit;
d) not less than 21 nor more than 50 years
of age;
e) at least 5 feet and 4 inches in height; and
f) suffering none of the disqualifications
provided for in the preceding section:
Provided, That foreigners who are already
employed as watchmen or security guards
prior to the approval of this Act shall not be
subject to the above-mentioned
requirements: Provided, further, That
veterans shall be given priority in
employment as security guard, watchman or
private detective: And provided, finally, That
person convicted of any crime involving
moral turpitude shall not be employed as
security guard, watchman or private
detective.
Section 13. Issuance of Firearms. A watchman or
security agency shall be entitled to posses firearms after
having satisfactorily passed the requirements prescribed
by the Chief, PNP, pertinent to the possession of firearm
of any caliber not higher than 45 caliber in a number not
exceeding one firearm for every two watchmen or
security guards in its employ: Provided, however, That a
watchman or security agent shall be entitled to possess
not more than one riot gun or shotgun in order to
provide adequate security when circumstances so
demand: Provided, further, That all the firearms
mentioned herein shall be carried by the watchman or
security guard only during his tour of duty in proper
uniform within the compound of the establishment
except when he escorts big amounts of cash or
valuables in and out of said compound.
Rule VII Sec. 1. IRR
SECTION 1. Possession of Firearms by Private
Security Agency /Private Detective
Agency/ Company Security Force/ Government Security
Unit. - Private Security Agency/Private Detective
Agency/ Company Security Force/ Government Security
Unit shall be entitled to possess firearms after
satisfactorily complying with the requirements
prescribed by the Chief, Philippine National Police
pertinent to the possession of firearms, provided that the
number of firearms shall not exceed one (1) firearm for
every two (2) security guard in its employ. No private
security agency/private detective agency/company
security force/government security unit shall be allowed
to possess firearms in excess of 500 units.
SECTION 6. Disposition of confiscated
firearms. Any law enforcement officer
authorized by law effecting the confiscation of
firearm under any of the circumstances
mentioned in the preceding section shall inform
the Chief, Philippine National Police thru the
CSG within twenty-four (24) hours after such
confiscation. The firearm shall be turned over
immediately to the nearest Philippine National
Police unit/station which shall be responsible for
the conveyance of same to the FED, CSG,
except when charges have been filed against the
suspect, in which case, the firearm shall be
turned over to the concerned court.
Section 14. Uniform. The uniform of watchman
or security guard as well as those organized,
maintained or under the employment of the
government or any government-owned and/or
controlled corporations, agencies or entities,
shall be different from the uniform worn and
prescribed for members of the AFP, City and
Municipal Police Force. The Chief, PNP,
through his duly authorized representative shall
prescribed the uniform or ornaments,
equipment and paraphernalia to be worn by the
security guards and watchmen throughout the
Philippines.
Section 15. Compensation of Watchmen
or Security Guards. Watchmen or
security guards shall receive a salary not
lower than that prescribed in the
Minimum Wage Law.
SECTION 5. Search without warrant. - Any
security guard may, incident to the arrest,
search the person so arrested in the
presence of at least two (2) witnesses. He
may also search employees of the person
firm or establishment with which he is or his
agency has a contract of private detective,
watchman or security services, when such
search is required by the very nature of the
business of the person, firm or
establishment.
SECTION 7. Duty to Assist Law Enforcers -
Any security guard shall be duty bound to
assist any peace officer in the pursuit of his
bounding duty, when requested, provided it
is within the territorial jurisdiction of his
(security officer) area of duty.
SECTION 3. Inter-relationship between
Private Security Personnel and members of
the PNP –
a. Private Security personnel are always
subordinate to members of the PNP on
matters pertaining to law enforcement and
crime prevention. They cannot enforce any
provision of the law except in executing
citizen’s arrest and/or conducting initial
investigation of a commission of a crime. In
such case, any arrested person shall be
turned over immediately to the nearest PNP
unit/station.
b. Criminal investigation is the responsibility
of the PNP. All results of initial investigation
conducted by private security personnel
and all evidence gathered by them shall be
turned over to the PNP unit/station
concerned as a matter of course without
delay.
c. Responsibilities of Private Security
Personnel:

1. Private security personnel are responsible

purely for enforcing company policies, rules
and regulations of management and clients
with the ultimate objective of providing
security to the assets and persons of
clients.
2. Private security personnel are authorized
and empowered by law to act as such and
in the manner prescribed by the Chief, PNP
on within their specifically assigned areas to
be secured, as provided for in the contract
between the client and the private security
agency, and, in the case of company
security services, as specifically stated in
their private security firm licenses.
Thank You
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